Despite the national enrollment cliff, Texas Tech continues to defy expectations due to its innovation, offerings and opportunity.
Texas Tech University has welcomed its largest first-year class in institutional history.
The incoming undergraduate class has surpassed 10,000 students this year, with first-time college students comprising more than 7,600 of that figure. While higher education analysts raise concerns about declining traditional college-aged populations, Texas Tech is composing a different tune.
Experts have spent years warning of a phenomenon coined as the “enrollment cliff.” Essentially, the college-aged population is shrinking due to a drop-off in birth rates from the 2008 recession.
So, what drives numbers up at Texas Tech?
Four new Red Raiders might hold some clues.
Gavin Dorfner unlocks his dorm room for the first time; his outfit perfectly coordinated with the red and black of the residence hall. Texas Tech’s pre-medicine program and hands-on research opportunities convinced him to pursue his orthopedic surgery aspirations here.
Courtlyn Mosely unpacks her car with more practiced grace than most. The ballet and contemporary dancer was drawn to the J.T. & Margaret Talkington College of Visual & Performing Arts because of its refreshing teacher-to-student ratio.
Zachary Conner pushes his university-issued red cart toward his room, explaining how tradition sealed his decision. His siblings attended before him and his parents fell in love in the Goin’ Band From Raiderland. Zachary has secured his own spot in the storied ensemble.
Addie Wells breaks with a tradition dating back to 1880 – choosing Texas Tech over her family legacy at Baylor University. It’s not only that Texas Tech was a much more affordable option for her family, but when Addie experienced a Texas Tech men’s basketball game courtside against Iowa State in January, she called her parents and said she was home.
These four students highlight themes that university leaders often encounter.
Opportunity
Students like Gavin weigh hands-on opportunities when choosing colleges.
Aly Flores, program manager for Red Raider Orientation says this is something she frequently observes when visiting with new students.
“Whether it’s Study Abroad, their ability to work in a lab as an undergraduate or make use of Texas Tech’s various career-readiness programs, students are looking for what they’ll have access to beyond the basics,” Flores notes.
Gavin credits the undergraduate research opportunities provided by the pre-med program for selling him on the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education "Very High Research Activity” Institution.
The undergraduate research scholar program and others like it have helped hundreds of novice researchers publish before graduating with a bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate students at Texas Tech often work in labs and even travel to present their work – moments more often associated with graduate school.
Facilities & Faculty
State-of-the-art facilities such as the Academic Sciences Building, the School of Theatre & Dance and the dazzling athletic complexes are drawing students to campus.
Courtlyn knew she wanted to follow her passion for dance into college. She was struck by the smaller class sizes and the level of attention and care the faculty gave each performer. In dance programs elsewhere, artists can end up being invisible in a crowded studio.
Texas Tech masterfully weaves a small school feel into a larger, vibrant fabric. This stems from building new space and hiring more faculty. Thanks to Texas voters passing the Texas University Fund (TUF) in 2023, the proposition has allotted Texas Tech millions in additional funding, much of that money going to strategic faculty hires. Texas Tech’s world-renowned faculty are not only enriching the classroom experience, but also are addressing problems in health, energy, agriculture and national security. This work improves the lives of individuals and communities in Texas and beyond.
Both new and renovated facilities are springing up across campus because of generous gifts from alumni and stakeholders. University leaders expect this to only accelerate as Texas Tech soon enters the second public year of its first ever capital campaign, On & On.
Tradition & Campus Life
New students consistently describe Texas Tech feeling “like home” – a notion that moves beyond mere marketing language. There is a sense of belonging on campus with more than 600 registered student organizations, a premiere recreational facility, access to athletic games and award-winning restaurants.
“I think a lot of it comes down to the culture here,” Flores explains. “I feel so passionately about this. It’s why we cap our orientation groups and avoid offering massive impersonal events – we’re protecting that feeling of connection and personability.”
The campus proves hard to describe but impossible to forget. One new student said she’d already attended orientation and signed a housing agreement at another university but changed her mind when she came to Lubbock.
Texas Tech’s campus culture achieves a paradoxical balance: compelling yet calming; enigmatic but energizing.
For Zachary, that feeling cemented his decision to follow in his family’s footsteps and become a Red Raider. He moved onto campus early to prepare for the first day of Goin’ Band rehearsals – yet another sound on campus that feels like home when the brass fanfare begins “The Matador Song.”
Affordability
Flores and her team repeatedly hear how important affordability is. Beyond the enrollment cliff, the cost of college is skyrocketing. Education Data Initiative documents that tuition costs have soared by nearly five times the rate of inflation since 1970.
While costs have certainly risen at Texas Tech over that time, the university has not raised tuition in four years, and it remains one of the more affordable four-year universities in the state without sacrificing items that are increasingly important to students.
This proved critical for Addie’s family.
“We faced a genuine quagmire because Addie got into Baylor, but even with the scholarship it offered her, we couldn’t justify such high costs unless she was going into a niche specialty,” her father, Kacey Wells, explained.
Affordability matters. While essential for some families, even financially comfortable households seek the best value for their dollar, and that’s something Texas Tech delivers.
Other Areas of Growth
Graduate and professional students represent another booming demographic at Texas Tech, particularly those enrolled through Texas Tech Online. This fall, the Graduate School and School of Professional Studies welcomed more than 8,200 new students.
Nontraditional online student enrollment has surged nationwide since COVID-19; however, this trend preceded the pandemic. Working adults want to finish their degree or continue into graduate work to advance their careers. And with Texas Tech’s addition of eight-week accelerated courses, fast-track admissions decisions and no application fee, students can achieve their goals on their timeline.
Looking Beyond the Cliff
An enrollment cliff sounds ominous, and perhaps it is. Universities face uncertain futures regarding attracting students to campus. However, uncertain times have visited before, and Texas Tech’s community consistently transforms uncertainty into curiosity.
During the Great Depression, enrollment at Texas Tech went up – perhaps reflecting Lubbock’s self-sufficiency in an isolated hub. When the vast majority of Red Raiders left school to fight in World War II, Texas Tech ambitiously expanded degree programs for women and filled classrooms to the brim. Even during the 2008 recession that catalyzed the enrollment cliff today, Texas Tech’s numbers climbed steadily upward.
No one claims the university enjoys immunity from struggle. Rather, Texas Tech’s resilient history and innovative spirit have prepared the institution for emerging obstacles, and imbued it with the fortitude to overcome them.
“Enrollment growth is a positive reflection of Texas Tech’s momentum, but more important is the success of our students once they arrive here,” said Lawrence Schovanec, president of Texas Tech. “Our record first-year class, along with rising graduation rates, demonstrate the commitment of our faculty and staff to providing students the resources and support they need to succeed. We are proud of the progress being made and encouraged by the opportunities ahead.”